Determinants of green construction adoption in the Malaysian housebuilding industry

The significant challenges of adopting green construction in the construction industry has gained growing attention among related organisations and governments worldwide and contributed to various efforts to promote its adoption and implementation. However, current evidence suggests the struggles of individual practitioners and organisations in committing to the concept and proposed policies of sustainability in construction. Despite the significance of green construction in realising sustainable development in the construction industry, studies on the influence of attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control on the adoption of green construction in the developing countries, particularly Malaysia, have remained scarce. Addressing that, this study aimed to identify significant factors that influence the adoption of green construction in housebuilding projects in Malaysia with respect to Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory and Ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour. In this mixed-methods study, both questionnaire survey, which involved samples (N=171) and personal interview, which involved eight informants, were sequentially performed. Data reliability and validity were tested using Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), while structural equation modelling (SEM) was used for the testing of hypotheses. SEM results revealed the significant influence of attitude towards green construction (i.e., relative advantage, complexity, trialability, observability, financial risk, and image), subjective norms about green construction adoption, and perceived behavioural control of green construction adoption (i.e., training support, and government support) on the intention to adopt green construction. In other words, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control play significant roles in influencing the housebuilders’ intention to adopt green construction in the housebuilding projects. Besides that, the combination of the modified diffusion of innovation theory and theory of planned behaviour successfully interpreted the adoption of green construction. Theoretically, this study makes a dual contribution to the field of innovation adoption in green construction. First, it advances the integration of Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory (IDT) and Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) by empirically validating a hybrid framework within the underexplored context of housebuilders in developing countries. Second, it extends the explanatory scope of both theories by identifying and incorporating context-specific constructs such as financial risk and image (under attitude), and perceived government and training support (under perceived behavioural control). This multidimensional conceptualisation enhances predictive utility, theoretical parsimony, and contextual relevance. Practically, the study offers actionable insights for policymakers and construction industry stakeholders by identifying key psychological and structural levers that influence green construction adoption. The validated framework provides a diagnostic tool for understanding adoption behaviour and offers a basis for targeted interventions to increase the uptake of green construction practices in the Malaysian housebuilding sector.

Grantor dc:publisher

Oxford Brookes University

Author dc:creator

• Noorsaidi bin Mahat

Contributors dc:contributor

• Christos Vidalakis
• Joseph Handibry Mbatu Tah

Statement dc:rights

• All rights reserved

Language dc:language

en

DOI dc:identifier

https://doi.org/10.24384/qh5k-x061

OAI identifier oai:identifier

tle:58212a06-52d3-4ea9-98dd-34a2437af17f:d6bd9758-527a-46cd-bfe2-c433766e8fca:1